Parliament LIVE: Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid ruckus over DKS’s remark
RS Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar calls meeting with Nadda, Kharge on holding a structured discussion on the issue of judicial accountability and the NJAC Act
Both the Houses witnessed stormy scenes after Parliament resumed on Monday (March 24)
In the Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju sought response from the Leader of Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge about Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's purported statement that the Congress will change the Constitution to provide reservation for Muslims.
Leader of the House JP Nadda reiterated Rijiju's charge adding that the Karnataka government has passed a Bill allowing 4 per cent reservation to Muslims in government contracts. Nadda said the “Congress is shredding the Constitution” and demanding a discussion on the issue and a response from Kharge.
Amid loud disruptions by Treasury MPs, Kharge said the Constitution made by Babasaheb Ambedkar can never be changed and reservations can never be ended.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar adjourned the House till 2 pm while Kharge was responding.
Ruckus in Lok Sabha
Minutes after starting its business on Monday, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon due to protests by some opposition members who were carrying posters that invited strong disapproval from Speaker Om Birla.
When the House met at 11 am after the weekend break, opposition members, mostly Samajwadi Party MPs, started protests over certain crimes in Uttar Pradesh. The protesting SP members were carrying some posters.
The speaker strongly disapproved of the display of the posters, saying it was against the rules and hurt the dignity of the House. "You can't bring posters to the House. Please cooperate. If you show the posters in the House, I will be forced to take action against you," he said.
Birla said the Lok Sabha had in the past decided against any member carrying any kind of posters to the House.
"The House had already taken a decision against the display of posters. If you violate the decision, I will take action against you," he said.
The speaker told Rijiju to bring a motion against it. "Or else I will take action," he said and adjourned the House till 12 noon.
When the House re-convened, Rijiju said the remarks by a person sitting in a Constitutional post to change the Constitution to facilitate 4 per cent reservation for Muslims were unacceptable.
"How can the House watch in silence? Congress should clarify … the person should be sacked. You claim to give reservations to Muslims and resort to theatrics of carrying a photograph of Babasaheb Ambedkar and a copy of the Constitution in your pocket," Rijiju said.
Some Congress members tried to counter Rijiju, leading to din in the House.
BJP member Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair, tried to restore order and later adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
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Live Updates
- 24 March 2025 12:12 PM
Dhankhar questions Karnataka Dy CM suggestion for quota on religious ground
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday questioned suggestions that the Karnataka government is mulling four per cent reservation for Muslims, saying it is contrary to constitutional provisions.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had recently suggested making changes to the Constitution to facilitate reservation to Muslims in government contracts.
The issue resonated in Lok Sabha on Monday with the ruling BJP questioning the idea and seeking Shivakumar's removal.
Addressing a group of Rajya Sabha interns here and without naming Karnataka, Dhankhar said "one state" has indicated that it will make reservation for "contracts that is in the domain of business to a particular community, a religious denomination".
"Now look at the constitutional provisions. Does our Constitution allow any reservation on religious considerations? Find out what B R Ambedkar had said, and you will be enlightened that there can be no reservation on religious considerations," the vice president, also chairperson of Rajya Sabha, said.
Dhankhar said the Constitution provides for a hand-holding mechanism, an affirmative mechanism for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and socially and educationally backward classes.
He said the Constitution was amended and economic criterion was made a basis, with the courts later upholding it. PTI
- 24 March 2025 11:01 AM
'Meaningful deliberation': Dhankhar after meeting Nadda, Kharge
After his meeting with Leader of the House (Rajya Sabha) JP Nadda and LoP (Rajya Sabha) Mallikarjun Kharge, Vice-President and Chairman, Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "We had meaningful deliberation about the issue that is agitating the mind of judiciary. It is for the first time since independence that a Chief Justice has, in a transparent, accountable manner, put all material available to him in the public domain and shared it without keeping anything with the Court...A very thoughtful suggestion emanated from Khargeji that consistent with parliamentary practice, the issue needs to be deliberated with the floor leaders and finding the suggestion in order and full approval also of all three of us, a meeting will accordingly be scheduled where I would extend an invitation to floor leaders in the Council of States to take a call on this..."
